Cylinder stop block



Dec. 22, 1942. f E. F. DUDLEY 2,305,351

CYLINDER s-ToP BLocx Filed Dec. 16, 14o

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Patented Dec. 22, 1942 CYLINDER sror BLOCK Edward F. Dudley, Oak Park, Ill., assignor to The Miehle Printing Press & Manufacturing Ccmpany, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December 16, 1940, Serial No. 370,303

7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in mechanism for stopping the impression cylinder of printing presses, more particularly of that class of presses known in the trade as the Vertical type.

Certain, well established vertical presses include an impression cylinder whichV is mounted for linear vertical reciprocation and the cylinder rotates during its up-stroke for the purpose of printing a sheet while, during its down-stroke, the cylinder remains stationary; in other words, it is held against rotation during its idle stroke. The sheets to be printed are placed onto a sheet transfer table which preferably is mounted on the impression cylinder carriage and arranged so that the table will follow the reciprocatory movement of the cylinder. Registration of the sheets, prior to being engaged by the impression cylinder grippers, takes place during the down-stroke of the table and cylinder.

' It is imperative that the cylinder, while held against rotation after its drive has been rendered ineffective upon reaching its uppermost position in which a printed sheet is to be removed from the cylinder, as well as during its down-stroke and until a registered sheet has been gripped by the cylinder grippers, be held rigidly against any rotary motion which could be occasioned by backlash between the cylinder gear and its driving gear, or by other probable causes such as vibrations set up during the operation of the press.

Heretofore, the impression cylinder on vertical presses was locked against rotary movement while in its uppermost position by means of solid stop blocks which moved abruptly into cooperative locking relation. I found that such an arrangement did not prove satisfactory, partly because of the objectionable noise created by the impact of the locking faces of such solid blocks, and also because of excessive wear of the blocks which became evident after a comparatively short time.

I have, therefore, devised a mechanism according to which the impact of the locking block occurs against yieldably arranged means and wherein the contacting faces of the cooperating locking members are held in locking relation by yielding members.

A printing press of the specific class in connection with which I desire to illustrate the embodiment of my invention is disclosed, for example, in the U. S. Patent No. 1,567,360 issued jointly to B. D. Stevens and myself on December 29, 1925, and in my Patent No. 1,587,513, issued June 8, 1926.

The main object of my invention is the provision of simple means, positive in its operation and effective to securely maintain the impression cylinder of a press against any possible movement during its period of non-rotation immediately after its drive has been rendered ineffective.

A further object of the invention is the provision of improved locking means for the impression cylinder which shall minimize wear of the cooperating parts.

Other objects of my invention shall become apparent from the following description, accompanying drawings, and appended claims.

In said drawings, Figure 1 shows an impression cylinder I0, during its upward movement and while'it rotates in the clockwise direction, as shown by the arrows in that figure. Figure 2 shows the impression cylinder at its uppermost limit of movement.

:The cylinder is mounted for rotation and is supported by means of the shaft II. To that shaft is secured a bracket member or collar I2 which carries a block I3, preferably secured thereto by screws I4. This collar, it will be understood therefore,l moves up and down with the cylinder VIll and also follows its rotation during the up-stroke of the cylinder in the direction indicated by the arrow.

A second block I5 is provided, which block is stationary and preferably secured to the printing press frame by means of screws I6 and dowel pins I'I. Within the block I5 is housed a locking latch vl 8 arranged so that it can freely slide within a'bor'ev provided in said block. Normally, the latch' projects below the outer, lower face I9 of the blockl5, it being urged downwardly by means of a compression spring 20 which embraces the stern"` of said latch. The spring 20 is arranged so'that its pressure may be adjusted, for instance by means of an adjusting nut 2I threaded into the upper portion 22 of the bore provided in the block I5. This adjusting nut may be held securely in its adjusted position by means of a set screw 23. To one of the side walls of the block I5 are secured a set of leaf springs 25, preferably by bolts 26 and 21, so that the springs will bear tightly against the side wall of the block I5 for the purpose explained hereinafter.

The cylinder stopping device operates as follows. During the upstroke of the cylinder I0, as depicted in Figure l, the cam projection 23 provided on the block I3 strikes the outer end of the latch I8 and, thereby forces the stem inwardly against the tension of the expansion spring 20. Upon continued upward movement of the impresi latch.

The purpose of providing resilient members such as the leaf springs 25 is to permit of a slight overthrow of the cylinder I0 and therewith of the block I3 after the cylinder drive has vbeen disconnected and after the shoulder 29 of-.the block has passed the latch I8, therefore assuringproper locking relation of said latch with the shoulder 29.

The leaf springs 25 are so dimensioned that they 'shall urge the cylinder i6, and therewith the block i3, in the counter-clockwise direction in a manner that, in the position shown in Figure 2, the shoulder 29 will bear *hardagainst the latch i8, thereby rigidly locking the cylinder against any rotary movement While it is in `its uppermost position at which vtime the rotation of the cylinder has been arrested.

During the downward stroke oi the cylinder, that Yis after the block I3 `with its" cam projection 23 has become disengaged from 'the locking latch i8, the cylinder may beheld against rotation by any suitable means such as are indicated in my prior patent identi-lied above.

It will be 'understood that, while I have illustrated the utility of vmy invention `as applied to a press in which Ythe impression `cylinder moves in a vertical path, the usefulness of l'my invention could be extended to any other type of printing presses having reciprocating cylinders which are required to be locked against rotation 'during certain periods. Therefore, I intend to cover any such modications in design or inthe 'embodiment of the invention 'as 'will come Vwithin the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a printing press including a rotary imsociated with said latch and cooperating with 'y said member to permit of a slight overthrow of the cylinder at the moment when its rotation is terminated and to thereafter rigidly lrold said locking member to lthereby lock' the cylinder against any rotary movement.

2. In a printing press including a rotary impression cylin'der mounted for linear reciprocation, the provision of a novel cylinder locking device including, a rotary rigid locking member carried by said cylinder, stationary means having a `spring urged locking latch, and additional yieldable means associated with said stationary means and cooperating with said member to permit a slight overthrow of the cylinder after said stationary means and said rotary locking member have reached their .interlocking position and to thereafter assure engagement of said latchwith said locking member to thereby lock the cylinder against any rotary movement.

3. In a printing press which includes an impression cylinder having intermittent rotation and mounted for linear reciprocation, the pro'- Vision of a novel cylinder locking device, including rigid means arranged to travel with said cylinder, and a locking latch and stationary, yieldable means engaging opposite sides of said rigid means to hold it against movement in either direction and to thereby positively lock the cylinder against any rotary movement at the end of one of its reciprocatory strokes.

4. In a printing press which includes an impression cylinder having intermittent rotation and mounted for linear reciprocation, the provi- .sion of a novel cylinder locking device, including a rotary, rigid member, a locking latch, and stationary, 'yieldable means, said latch and means being arranged to engage opposite sides of said member so as to permit of a slight overthrow of the cylinder at the moment its rotation isterrninated, and then hold the member against movement in either direction to thereby rigidly lock the cylinder against any rotary movement.

' reached the end Vof its upward stroke `and whenv its rotation "is terminated, and then hold 'the member against movement in Aeither direction `to thereby rigidly lock the cylinder against any rotary movement.

6. In a printing press which includes animpression rcylinder having .intermittent rotation mounted for linear reciprocatiom the provision of a Vnovel cylinder locking device `including a locking latch, stationary, 'yieldable means, 'and a rotary rigid member traveling 'with the cylinder, said latch and Ymeans being arranged to engage opposite sides of said memben'in a manner to permit 'of `a slight 'overthrowof the cylinder at the moment'its rotation is terminated and then hold the member against Ymovementin either direction to thereby rigidly lock the cylinder against any rotary movement.

'7. In a printing press vwhich includes an impression -cylinder having intermittent rotation and mounted for linear vertical reciprocati'on, the provision of a vnovel cylinder locking device including a locking l'at'c'h, stationary, yieldable means, anda rotary rigid member traveling with p the cylinder, said'latch and means beingarranged to engage opposite sides of said member, in 'a manner to permit 4of 1a slight overthrow of the cylinder 'at the moment `when it has reached the end of its upward stroke, and then hold said member against movement in either direction, to 

